Actor Danush was born as Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja on 28 July 1983 to a Tamil film director and producer, Kasthuri Raja, and mother, Vijayalakshmi, in Madras, Tamil Nadu. His father was a script writer and the family struggled financially until his father became an assistant director. Though he was a studious student at school, he fell in love with a girl after his 10th standard and never focussed on anything. His father and elder brother believed that he was an actor material since his childhood but Danush never had confidence in his personality or interest in acting.
Initially he wished to go to a school of hotel management and become a chef but his elder brother, director Selvaraghavan, pressured him to become an actor. Dhanush's father Kasthuri Raja directed him in Thulluvadho Ilamai, with a screen name "Danush", in 2002 while he was 17, was an average film. His father and brother used to beat him on sets when he wasn't serious. He then acted in his brother Selvaraghavan's first directorial venture Kaadhal Kondein in 2003 that won critical acclaim and commercial success. While his brother proved himself as a director Danush rose to a star staus and superstar Rajini appreciated his acting personally. Danush met Aishwarya Rajinikanth in an interview and became friends. He achieved success with Polladhavan (2007) and Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008), which was directed by his brother Selvaraghavan as "Aadavari matalaku ardhale verule" in Telugu.
He won National award for Aadukalam (2010) and continued success with films like Maryan (2013), Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014), Anegan (2015), Maari (2015), Kodi (2016), Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 (2017), Vadachennai (2018), Maari 2 (2018), Asuran (2019), Thiruchitrambalam (2022). Vadachennai is the highest-grossing A-rated Tamil film of all time, while Asuran entered the 100 Crore Club. Some of these movies were dubbed into Telugu and Raghuvaran B.Tech did well even in Telugu and opened the market for this lean star.
In 2011, Dhanush's actor in his wife direction in "3" and the popular song "Why This Kolaveri Di", sung and written by Dhanush himself, from this romantic psychological thriller film became the first Indian music video to cross 100 million views on YouTube that gave him recognition and his he entered Bollywood with Aanand L. Rai's Raanjhanaa (2013)and Atrangi Re (2021). He won appreciation from Amitabh for Shamitabh.
Dhanush also produces films through Wunderbar Films, and he made his directorial debut with Pa Paandi (2017). He sang "Rowdy Baby" in Maari 2 which is the most-viewed Indian song of all time and the only South Indian video song to reach 1 billion views on YouTube. Dhanush won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for Asuran (2019).
Starring in 46 films, he won four National Film Awards (two as actor and two as producer), 14 SIIMA Awards, 9 Vijay Awards, 7 Filmfare Awards South. Dhanush married Aishwarya, Rajinikanth's eldest daughter on 18 November 2004. They have two sons, Yatra and Linga. The couple announced their separation in January 2022.
Dhanush is an occasional singer, producer, lyricist and made his directorial debut with the movie Pa Paandi. Danush is known for his hard working nature and simplicity.
